Cross buns: gluten, dairy, egg, and yeast free

This year, I wanted to try new baking as part of our Easter dinner in lockdown with my husband. I have extra time, and it would help the day seem more celebratory if special never-before-have-I-made comfort food were involved. I decided to give cross buns a try. It seemed like a perfect Easter dessert to add with pot roast (can’t stomach ham too well, either).

Related true story: In 1993 I started taking piano lessons. “Hot Cross Buns” was one of the first songs I learned. Since there wasn’t a picture in the book and I hadn’t grown up eating them, I just assumed it was a silly song about angry dinner rolls.

Anyway, after doing some research of recipes on Pinterest, and finding my pantry devoid of yeast (which almost every recipe called for), I modified my roll/scone recipe for a simple cross bun. It baked up well and the cinnamon-spice combination is mouthwatering. Traditional cross bun eaters take note, though. This is a simple recipe from someone who did not grow up eating cross buns (see story above) and who is missing a couple key ingredients from her pantry. 🤷🏼‍♀️ One addition that I would recommend is orange zest or extract, especially in the glaze. These would also taste good with dried cranberries and dried cherries. 😋

Cross Buns

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 baking flour in the blue bag

1/2 c. White rice flour

1 c. Sweet Sorghum flour

1/2 c. Sugar

4 TBS Arrowroot starch

1 heaping TBS Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1/4 tsp. Allspice

1 scant c. Coconut cream (let sit in can on counter a few days before opening and scoop thick part only off top)

3/4 c. “Coconut Cream Water” (mix the remaining cream and coconut liquid back together. You can also ise this for the glaze